31 Tips From Attorney Ben Glass For many personal injury cases, you may not need a lawyer. Attorney Ben Glass explains how to get his 31 tips for settling your own accident case.

Preparing to Negotiate with the Insurance Company

It doesn’t matter whose insurance company I’m talking about here. In my many years as a personal injury attorney, they’re all pretty much the same. Insurance adjusters can be grouchy, pushy people -- and with good reason. Would you want to sit at a desk all day having to hear about people’s injuries and file paperwork?

Probably the best advice I can give you is to be polite and calm as you talk with the insurance adjuster. Not only will this help make the interaction go much smoother, but you’ll also be able to keep yourself in check and avoid making a mistake that could harm your accident case.

Whether you’re on the phone or meeting in person, make sure you have your evidence and records ready to go. Don’t give them anything until they ask for it – the less information you volunteer, the less they have to deny your claim. Recorded statements can be a trap, so be prepared. Know your facts, write a script and remember to answer their questions with the least amount of detail possible. This is definitely a place where “loose lips sink ships.” In other words, don’t say any more than you need to!

What to Do When You Get in Over Your Head

If things are getting frustrating when you begin to deal with the insurance adjusters and you really don’t want to struggle on your own, it’s usually not too late to get yourself a personal injury lawyer. As long as you’re within your state’s statute of limitations and you haven’t agreed to a settlement, you still usually can find a lawyer in your area willing to take your accident case.

If you’re still doing fine at this point, you’re ready to begin the negotiation of the settlement. As long as you keep yourself organized and on track, you should be on the home stretch.

It may sound crazy, but I want you to succeed in settling your accident case WITHOUT a lawyer. Why? As much as I’d love to help every client that comes into my office, I just don’t have that kind of time. What I did have time for is writing a fantastic guide to how you can help your own case.